Sunday, December 28, 2014

I love drawing live at events. The digital caricatures are so much fun and people are so amazed with how I use the technology. I still like to draw traditional (pen on paper) caricatures but digital is so much fun.

One of the best parts is the interaction between myself and the person(s) being drawn. Sometimes it is difficult due to noise. I ask to be set up away from loud music and speakers but sometimes this is not doable for the client due to limited space so I make due as best I can. Most of the time people let me decide what do draw them doing and I will ask some questions to get an idea of what they may be interested in. If that doesn't work, I go for random. Usually works.

I print the drawings out on letter size high gloss photo paper. This really makes the colours jump out at you. When I show people the finished product on my cintiq tablet (google cintiqHD22) it looks awesome and they get excited but when the finished drawing is printed out and they can hold it in their hands, they seem to get more excited. I also protect the drawings in clear envelopes with a cardboard backing to allow people to show off the drawing and not having to worry about spilling something on them.

My setup is the following. I draw on a 22 inch Cintiq art tablet, powered by a small PC running windows 7. I display the drawings, as they are being done, on a 32 inch flat screen for the crowd to see. Both the screen and the tablet are set up on portrait mode (sideways) so I can use more of the "real estate" on the tablet for drawing. This setup also takes up less space. I use a higher end HP inkjet printer.

The software I run is called Sketchbookpro and it is a Autodesk program. I would recommend this software as it is easy to learn and works... well awesome is about all I can say without getting too technical.

People are sometimes surprised that I don't use an apple computer to run the tablet. Most people associate apple computers with artists and design. I do use an apple computer (mac-mini) as my back up, along with a smaller version of my cintiq tablet (cintiq 12ux). I take this back up system along with me to all events just in case something goes wrong with my main equipment (knock on wood).

Now that the holiday season is over different types of gigs come up. I have a bunch of weddings and dry grads already booked in 2015. Also have some corporate gigs such as conferences and trade shows.

If you are interested in hiring me, please visit my CARICATOONS WEBSITE. While you are there, click on live events, check out my digital or traditional caricatures for more examples. Most of the questions I get can be answered on my FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS PAGE.

Friday, December 26, 2014

It has been a busy holiday season. I figure I had around 13 live event holiday parties and multiple gift caricature commissions. Now that Christmas is over, I find that I can sit back and relax for a few days and think about what 2015 has in store for me and my cartooning business.

Here are some of my favourite commissioned drawings from this season.

The first was commissioned by a wife and mother of her husband and her children. Apparently, they like hockey. 11X14 digital

The next one was commissioned not for xmas but by someone for a friends birthday. A crazy cat lady, martini drinking tourist. 11X14 digital

More of a portrait than a caricature. This one was commissioned by a lady for her friend who seems to be obsessed with Keanu Reeves. 11X14 digital

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This one is of one of PLV Radio's bright Stars children. She interviewed me for her radio show and also commissioned me to draw her kids for a xmas present. 11X14 digital

The last one here is for a Starbucks Manager that wanted to do something special for her employees. 19 drawings in total, each one done separately and printed separately. All 8X10 digital

This is not all of the commissions I have received, only a small amount that I have chosen to share here with you. Next post will be about the live events I have had the pleasure to attend over this holiday season.

About Me

I am a self taught artist living in beautiful Maple Ridge, British Columbia.
I have been married since 1987, have two grown boys and
I am also a foster parent to special needs foster children.
www.caricatoons.ca